Combined closure and masker eos bags



July 29. 1924. k 1,503,410

v T. J. YATES COMBTNED CLOSURE AND MARKER FOR BAGS Filed April 25 1923 Thomas U.YOTes b jwzwk inwj Afiys.

Patented July 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. YATES, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR. TO YATES MACHINE GOT-vi- PANY, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED CLOSURE AND MARKER FOR BAGS.

Application filed April 25, 1923. Serial No. 634.52 2.

7 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Yarns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Salem, county of Essex State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Combined Closures and Markers for Bags, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a-specificatiOn, like characters on the draw- P ing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a combined bag closure and marker of the type comprising a plate with indicia marked thereon and a flexible cord for attachment to the plate in such a manner as to retain the neck of the bag in closed position.

f One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple combined bag closure and marker which may be easily and quickly fastened in place around the neck of the bag or removed therefrom.

A further object of the present invention is-to provide such a bag closure and marker which may be easily and cheaply manufactured but which is sturdy enough to withstand extreme wear and abusive treatment. Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in't'he claims. p

v The drawings illustrate in perspective, elevation and section a preferred form of construction adapted for use in a combined bag closure and marker and embody the broad principles of the invention.

Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the combined closure and marker applied to a bag;

Fig. 2 is a section through the device;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device.

The combined bag closure and marker may be used in any case where it is desired to mark an article such as a bag and is par .ticularly useful where it is desired to mark the bag and retain the neck of the bag in closed position. The closure and marker is particularly designed to the used in connection with laundry bags in which laundry may be collected or washed. The parts of the device are made of any material suitable to the purposes for which the closure is to be used. Thus if the closure is to be used for laundry bags it will be necessary for the metal part of the device to be made of a metal which will not rust and the flexible cord which is to be wrapped around the bag to hold it in closed position must be made of some material which will not deteriorate through constant immersion in water.

As illustrated herein the device comprises a flexible cord 1 and a metal plate 2 having bosses 3 and 4 with distinguishing indicia 5 and 6 thereon projecting from the plate. The metal plate is curved on an axis transverse of its ends and has one free end 7 and one end S secured to the cord. The plate should be curved to conform with the shape of the neck of the bag when in closed position so that when the cord is wrapped around the neck of the bag and around the bosses the metal plate lies against and conforms to the shape of the closed neck.

of the cord is prolonged and the plate itself has a tendency to sink into the bag which is a great advantage in that it does not come into contact with the working parts of the i3 washing machine and thus prevents wear both of the plate and the machine.

The bosses are undercut so that the cord will not slip off when wrapped around them and are retained on the plate in any suitable manner. For this purpose the bosses may have reduced portions 9 projecting through openings 10 in the plate and the ends 11 of the reduced portions may conveniently be headed over the sides of the openings to retain the bosses on the plate. The bosses are preferably placed as shown in the drawings with one boss adjacent each end of the plate and the distinguishing indicia may be on the bosses although it may be deemed preferable to stamp the indicia or any additional ones in other places.

The flexible cord is attached to the end 8 of the plate preferably in the manner shown. One end of the flexible cord is brought from the under surface of the plate through an opening 13 to the upper surface of the plate thence across the plate and down through an opening 14 to the under surface of the plate where a knot 15 is formed to secure the cord to the plate. This leaves a portion 16 of the cord on the upper surface of the plate. The openings 13 and 1a are preferably so placed with regard to the edge of the boss 3 that the distance from the dge of the boss to the pe- VVhen the 57 metal plate has such a curved shape the life riphery of the cord is less than the diameter of the cord. An extra hole 17 has been shown cut through the plate for convenience in hanging up the device or in order that the plate may be secured to the cord in any other manner.

When it is desired to close the bag and mark it with the device of the present invention the metal plate is held adjacent the neck of the then the free end 18 of the cord is wrapped around the neck of the bag then about the undercut portion of the boss at on the free end of the plate and the cord is drawn around the boss in such a manner as to pull the neck of the bag into closed position. The free end of the cord is then brought back around the neck of the bag and a half hitch is taken around the boss 3 on that end ofthe plate to which the cord is secured whereby the neck of the bag is retained in closed position and the metal plate lies against and conforms to the shape of the neck of the bag with the indicia exposed to view. The principle of construction is such that, after the cord has been passed once around the neck the bag and drawn about the boss 4;, it is an easy matter to draw the cord around the neck as tightly as desired and hold the closure in place with the ban closed while the cord is drawn the second time around the neck and secured by the half hitch to the other boss 3.

As a result of the fact that the portion 16 of the cord lies nearer the edge of the boss 3 than the diameter of the cord, when the half hitch is taken around. the boss 3 the portion of the free end 18 of the cord which encircles the reduced portion 9 of said boss 3 must he forced or wedged between the portion 16 of the cord and the edge of the boss.

There is notendency for the neck of the bag to contract when the closure is finally effected and any expansiv tendency only serves to hold the cord more tightly in position.

It is obvious that the combined closure and marker may be used and tied around the neck of a bag or other articles in different ways and although a particular and preferred form of the invention has been described, modifications of the device itself may be made. The invention is, therefore, to be construed as broadly as the limitations in the claims, taken inconjunction with the prior art, may allow.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A, device of the character described comprising a flexible cord, a metal plate illl'TELi on an axis transverse of its ends with one free end and one end secured to the cord, two undercut bosses with distinguishing indiria thereon projecting from said plate, cove boss being adjacent each end of the plate, whereby when the free end of the cord. is wrapped around the neck of a bag, then about the undercut portion of the boss on the free end of the plate, then back around the neck of the bag and a half hitch taken around a boss on that end of the plate to which the cord is secured, the neck of the bag will be retained in closedposition and the metal plate will lie against and conform to the shape of the neck with the indicia exposed to view. .7

J'i device of the character described comprising a metal plate having an, upper surface and a hole in one end, a flexible cord having a free end and an end secured to said plate through said hole with a portion of the cord lying on the upper surface of the plate, an undercut boss projecting fromsaid upper surface of the plate with an edge lying closer to that portion of the cord lying on the upper surface of the plate than the diameter of the cord whereby a bag may be closed by passing the free end of the cord around the neck of th bag and around the undercut portion of the boss and then wedging it between the boss and the portion of the fixed end of the cord lying on the upper surface of the plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS J. YATES. 

